The seasons of life

As I've previously posted, only last week in fact, I took part in the annual 20 Something Bloggers Blog Swap 2011, in which you can see the swap here.  My post has already been posted on my partners blog, but in honesty I was actually (and surprisingly) a little proud of what I had written so I wanted to post it here on my own blog for safe keeping.  The topic of the blog swap was 'Summer'.  Below is my submission.

I hope you enjoy.

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The Seasons of Life

While most of you are coming to the end of your Summer seasons, I on the other hand live in Australia, thus our Summer has well and truly finished and Winter has truly settled in. I much prefer the sunny days, the green trees, the fun at the beach and the slight breeze in the air.

Most Winter days you wake up to grey clouds, a never ending rain, a terrible chill in the air. You look outside your window and long for the green fields and sandy beaches, and the memory of them just reminds you how far away they are. 

I know I for one feel a little grumpy at that realization.

But I especially love the way Summer can sneak up on you, a fitting reflection on how life can also. Everyone has their gloomy days. The days when everything feels pointless. Those days when it feels like you are looking out your window, wishing for better days, and all there appears to be as far as the eye can see is grey, and darkness, and cold...

Sometimes it seems to last an eternity.  Sometimes it can spiral out of control.
  

But then, sometimes without realizing, things start to change. Sometimes you don't notice that life is improving until someone points it out to you. "It isn't as dark when I get home from work these days", they might say. "Hmm, yeah... wow, you are right", comes your response, as you lift your head to the sky, surprised that you hadn't noticed it sooner. Where had my gloomy days gone?

They were right, and you hadn't even noticed. Things definitely were improving. Sometimes you get so caught up in feeling depressed that you fail to realize the little improvements in life. The brief hour of sunshine, the calmer wind, a day without the need for a jacket. You take those instances for granted, not realizing that slowly, but surely, your dark days are beginning to fade.

The next day of course, it pours. The progress you seemed to be making takes two steps back. Sometimes the memory of the brief glimmer of sunshine, how the sadness was fading, is enough to hold the gloom at bay.  Other times, it returns at full force, you retreat back into yourself, viewing the world through all shades of grey once more, hating that you are back to square one.

When will life improve? When is my sunshine?

Time, of course, moves forever forward. Life goes on. Seasons change. Events transpire. Before you know it your phone beeps, it's a voice mail from a friend "Hey hey, free today? Come down to the beach with us, if you're up for it that is." You stop for a moment before replying. Am I up for it? As you look around, you relish at the blue skies, feel the warm sun on your skin, the fresh smell of grass, the cooling breeze, and you suddenly realize that your sad, gloomy filled days you once had are far behind you.

You can't really even explain how, but everything all of a sudden just feels a lot more... Summery.